


The Start Of Forever

by duskballum



Category: EastEnders (TV), EastEnders (TV) RPF
Genre: Ballum Week (EastEnders), Declarations Of Love, Engagement, Fluff, Forehead Kisses, Happy, Happy Ending, I Love You, Love, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:47:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28948407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duskballum/pseuds/duskballum
Summary: After weeks of considering marriage and days of planning the proposal, Ben proposes to Callum.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 5
Kudos: 54





	The Start Of Forever

**Author's Note:**

> As we all know, Ben proposes to Callum this week! We also know he has Lola and Lexi’s help planning it and that Callum is distracted with his recent double crossing. 
> 
> This is how i think / hope the Proposal will play out, however i’m sure whatever way it goes it will be beautiful. 
> 
> I’d also just like to disclaim that this is written with the idea that social distancing rules will be at least somewhat relaxed for their scene. There’s no confirmation on whether this is true however the show is slowly intertwining rule relaxation based on later scenes so - here’s hoping! 
> 
> That said, the things written in here could be achieved via trickery too, so all hope isn’t lost, i have faith! 
> 
> Enjoy.

_”Remember Tonight, For it is the beginning of Always” - Dante Alighieri._

Ben’s palms leaked with sweat as he paced around the Kitchen anxiously. Even though it was light outside he’d managed to set a dark ambience throughout the entire house, from the kitchen to the dining area. He’d done this by closing the blinds, pulling the curtains too and ensuring all lights big or small were switched off. He’d instructed Lola to scatter candles around both rooms and drape fairy lights all. Jay had also helped out by popping to the minute mart for snacks and booze, and then had neatly laid them out on the kitchen table. Of course, Lexi had to have some input too, and she did this by placing her toy unicorn on the sofa with a red ribbon about its neck and the tv remotes resting in between its stuffed legs.

The scene was set. The house was empty, yet it was full of emotions and thoughts. A sudden wave of nerves hit Ben as he realised he was about to bare all his emotions, with the chance of being turned down. He’d been planning this moment for weeks, planning what he was going to say and how he was going to say it. But all of that had been instantly forgotten as he inched closer to actually doing it.

Just outside in the middle of square, whilst Ben was inside nervously excited, it was still daylight and Callum was perched on the bench nervously contemplating his recent activities. He was thinking about how close he’d felt in recent months to actually losing Ben. Not just Ben either, but the family he’d found, even if they weren’t officially family. He felt relieved that it was over, but dreaded that it wasn’t. Dreaded that one day, it’d come back to bite him in the backside and everything would all come crumbling down. Just as Callum was absorbed in his own thoughts, he’d failed to realise that Ben was tiptoeing over to him sheepishly. 

“Babe?” Ben asked inquisitively, stopping a few feet before him. Callum snapped out of his trance and peered up at him with a small smile, trying to hide his contemplation. “Alright?” he asked naturally, awaiting a response. He was greeted with a gesture towards the house and ben asking “you free to come home for a sec? i want to show you something” with a cheeky grin on his face. 

_The word ‘home’ made Callum feel immediately warm inside._

Callum was perplexed and raised his eyebrows curiously before he jumped up and followed him into the house. Just as they approached the back door Callum reached for the handle, but was stopped abruptly. “Wait!” Ben screamed out, “close your eyes first” he smiled and waited for Callum to do as he’d asked, and he did - albeit reluctantly. Once guided into the kitchen Ben moved himself next to the candle lit and food bearing kitchen table whilst Callum was still “blindfolded” in the doorway. “Okay, and .... open” Ben exclaimed excitedly, waiting for Callum’s eyes to open. Once they did they instantly widened with shock - and suspicion. “What’s all this?” he asked his eyes looked around and then stopped on Ben, who had poured 2 glasses of wine and had begun to hand them out. Callum took the glass that was handed to him and awaited an response. “I just thought we could have a romantic night in. Just the two of us” He grinned with a wink, which made Callum blush slightly, and then he motioned him through to the living room. 

The living room was even more impressive, lights and candles covering the majority of the room. The lights perfectly reflected off Callum’s eyes as he stood enchanted by the gesture, “Ben this is ... it’s beautiful” he proclaimed, and rested his wine glass on the coffee table. Ben placed his down too and then sat down on the sofa and waited for callum to join him, which he did. Once they were both satcomfortably Ben inched himself closer to Callum, who wrapped his left arm around his shoulder instinctively and then planted a tender kiss on the top of his head whilst Bens head gently nuzzled into his neck and his hand placed itself on Callum’s inner thigh. Ben moved his free hand to reach for the remote which he passed to Callum, “you can pick the movie. Or, if the footballs on then-“ he began but was interrupted, “You hate the football” Callum chuckled. Ben scoffed slightly and shrugged it off, “yeah but ... you like it” he smiled. Callum was certain there was something going on, Ben was always soft with him but this was something else entirely. “What is this really about?” Callum asked, peering down at him. 

Ben’s eyes moved up and met Callum’s and he knew this was the moment he had to make the move. He inched himself upright so he could talk to Callum properly and then he began - “It’s my way of apologising for the other day” Ben whispered softly. Callum had a confused expression across his face, even though he knew what he meant. “The comment i made about the registry office it was ... distasteful” he muttered, “and you were right i said it to make my life easier and that was wrong of me” he looked guilty, sad even, because he knew it’d hurt Callum more than he let on. “Ben it’s fine” Callum assured him, rubbing his shoulder, which reminded Ben of yet another reason why he loved him. “It isn’t. It sounded like the only reason i wanted to marry you was so you could pick Lexi up from school ... but there’s about 100 reasons why i want to marry you” he paused, scared of the vulnerability he’d displayed. Much like the moment Ben first said ‘i love you’, Callum’s eyes slowly locked with his. “.... What?” Callum asked, even though he’d heard him clearly. 

Ben gulped, preparing to cut open his heart for him to see. “I can think of about 100 reasons why i want to spend the rest of my life with you. From the way you are with Lexi, to everything you’ve got me through” his chin began to tremble and his eyes glazed over with a layer of water, and at the same time Callum’s did the same. “To the way you look at me like i’m everything, and the way you hold me without me even asking ... you just ... you know how to make everyday better and you know me .. the real me” a single tear escaped his eye and danced down his cheek, meanwhile Callum’s eyes were full to the brim like flood gates for tears. “And you still love me. Despite everything i’ve done and i ... i’ve never had that before and i never thought i would have it” he smiled softly, “especially not with someone as amazing as you”. 

Callum cleared his throat, “Ben i ... i told you before i’ve been looking for this for half of my life. There is nothing you could do that would make me not love you .... and i look at you like you’re everything to me because you are everything to me” He reached up and held Ben’s entire head in his hands and looked deeply into his eyes. “I’m the one who doesn’t deserve your love lately ... what i did with Thompson-“ he began but was cut off abruptly, “You did that for me. because of me, because of what i started ... how could i ever be mad at you for that?” He asked rhetorically, reassuring Callum that he was okay with it. 

Callum looked down and smiled shyly, his hands still held Bens head. Ben himself was enjoying the warmth of Callum’s touch, nothing made him feel so comforted and his mouth moved into the softest smile, their eyes both still leaked tears of love. “I love you” Ben whispered much like the first time. But this time Callum wasn’t as shocked, it felt so much more familiar to him. “I love you too” he replied gently. “Then marry me” Ben spurted out suddenly but low toned, like that was the only way he could ask without overthinking it or backing down out of fear of rejection. 

Callum’s eyes grew three sizes and his pupils began to dilate. He couldn’t believe what he’d heard, Ben Mitchell asking him to marry him. Like properly marry him, because they’re in love and nothing else. “Are you sure it’s what you want ? and not just because it’s what you think i want you to say after the other day?” he questioned desperately wanting to make sure this is what he wanted. Ben let out a soft laugh, “callum i’ve never wanted anything more than to be your husband” he stated certainly, more certain than he’d ever been in his life. Callum couldn’t contain the tears anymore and they all escaped at once, trickling down his cheeks and neck like a waterfall, and his smile stretched out to his ears. “I’d been thinking about it for weeks, the registry office comment was just made out of nerves because i didn’t think i’d have the guts to properly ask you” he continued, “typical Ben eh? making a mess of it” he laughed, which Callum did too, not once breaking eye contact. 

“I love you so much, Ben” Callum repeated once more, that time adding a ‘so’ and then emphasising it. Ben’s smile was small but powerful, his eyes drooped like a puppies and he peered into his soulmates lingering gaze. “Is that a yes?” he asked still awaiting a real answer, which caused Callum to break into laughter for a moment realising that Ben hadn’t worked it out yet. “Of course it is” he smiled, their eyes both crying in unison. “Okay but i haven’t got you a ring yet because i thought we could both get one together and” Ben began to panic, wanting Callum to know that he hadn’t forgotten a ring, and instead had other plans for it. But, he was cut off from his panic from Callum who assured him, “that sounds amazing, Ben” and then he pursed his lips and bought Bens forehead to meet them, and tenderly placed a lingering and firm kiss onto his temple. Ben unsurprisingly stayed that way for a long while, savouring every second of the embrace. When he did eventually pull away he remarked “Well, why don’t we consummate this engagement eh?” before hestood up and held his hand out with a smirk before he continued - “fiancé”. Callum laughed lightly and reached out to accept Bens offer and then intertwined his fingers with his ‘fiancé’s’ before he followed him upstairs with a smile. 

They’d never been happier than they had in that moment, their moment. It was the start of their forever, the beginning of their always. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it ! let me know how you think / what the proposal to go and what you think they’ll do to get around distancing etc.
> 
> I would also like to apologise for not posting regularly - Uni is a killer :(
> 
> This also wasn’t my best work because i honestly don’t know how much time they’ll have on the scene and details like that etc so i just wanted to do a basic outline of what i want to see. Thank you!


End file.
